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Opening remarks by SLW at media session regarding follow-up work on fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, met the media today (December 2) with the Secretary for Migrant Workers of the Philippines, Mr Hans Leo J. Cacdac, regarding the follow-up work on the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Following are Mr Sun’s opening remarks at the media session:
 
     Today the Secretary for Migrant Workers of the Philippines is coming to Hong Kong. This is the second time we have met in Hong Kong. The last time we met was on November 9 – the Secretary came to Hong Kong to officiate at the opening of the largest centre in Asia for Filipinos in Hong Kong.
 
     First of all, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased foreign domestic helpers. At the same time, I wish a very speedy recovery to all those injured in the fire. We are truly grateful for their selflessness and also their heroic acts during the fire, as many of them were taking care of the elderly, children and babies in Wang Fuk Court.
 
     Let me briefly sum up the support we are going to provide for those who unfortunately died or were injured. For foreign domestic helpers who died in the fire, apart from the statutory compensation, which will be over $500,000, they will also be receiving one-off financial assistance of $200,000, and another $50,000 of support. Adding all together, for foreign domestic helpers who died in the fire, they will be receiving around $800,000, roughly equivalent to US$100,000.
 
     For those who were injured, they will also be receiving one-off financial assistance, either $50,000 or $100,000, depending on the period of how long they are staying in the hospital. For those who survived the fire, we will also provide $20,000 to them. And for those who were injured or survived the fire, we are also providing them with an Octopus card with an amount of $2,000.
 
     Let me also give a quick update on the number of foreign domestic helpers in Wang Fuk Court. According to the information available to us, there are a total of 235 foreign domestic helpers working in Wang Fuk court. Among them, according to our record, 10 died in the fire, three are injured, 192 are safe now, and there are still 30 who are missing.

  

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Remarks by SLW at media session regarding follow-up work on fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, met the media today (December 2) with the Secretary for Migrant Workers of the Philippines, Mr Hans Leo J. Cacdac, regarding the follow-up work on the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Following are Mr Sun’s remarks at the media session:
 
Reporter: Good afternoon, Mr Sun. You mentioned that there will be $800,000 offered to the deceased foreign domestic helpers. Would this be for their families? And how can the families claim this amount of money? And also, who will be responsible for the funeral expenses of the helpers who lost their lives in this tragedy? Is it still the employer in this case?
 
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: Thank you. We are working closely with the Consulate for those who are going to claim assistance from us. We will work through for the Filipinos with the PCG – the Consul Generals of the Philippines. Number one is to identify and to confirm that they are the ones, and then we are going to distribute through the Labour Department (LD) in Hong Kong where we will work with the Consulate. The key is to make sure that only the genuine family members are eligible to claim the financial assistance for those helpers who died in the incident. Rest assured, we will work closely with the Consulate to make sure that the money is distributed to the right people. I think this is very important.
    
     For the funeral expenses, there are two parts of it. One part is already covered by the statutory requirement. For all the standard contracts we are issuing for every domestic helper in Hong Kong, there is a standard clause to cover funeral expenses. On top of the existing legal provision, we also provide them with a one-off non-accountable $50,000 relating to their funeral. This is an additional add-on.
 
Reporter: Thank you, Mr Sun, for the generous support for migrant domestic workers. Indeed, the payout is generous enough. I would just like to ask if this is separate from whatever employee compensation that our migrant workers are entitled to under the law, because right now as I know it stands at more than $500,000 in case of death, and there are separate provisions for those who are injured. If they are entitled to this, will the Hong Kong LD assist them in claiming for their compensation? Thank you.
 
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: You can rest assured, as I have made clear in my opening remarks, the LD will help them claim the entitlement under the law. As you said, for those who died, they are entitled to receive at least around $500,000 as compensation. You can rest assured that we will do our utmost to make sure they receive it. What I am saying is, apart from what is provided under the law, this time around, there will be an extra one-off financial assistance, which amounts to $250,000 for those who died.
 
Reporter: Thank you very much. For those migrant domestic workers among the survivors, if some of them are recovering, and for example they do not have any more employment with their employers in Tai Po, would they be given an extension of their 14-day visas in order to look for a job if they wish to continue their employment in Hong Kong?
 
Secretary for Labour and Welfare: Thank you. We have discussed this with the Immigration Department, so you can have reassurance that they will be as flexible as possible to help the workers. It depends on each and every individual case, but please be assured that we will be as flexible and helpful as possible to help those who are affected and tragically impacted.

  

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Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2025

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Statistics on vessels, port cargo and containers for the third quarter of 2025 
     In the third quarter of 2025, total port cargo throughput decreased by 5.6% to 41.3 million tonnes over a year earlier. Within this total, inward port cargo decreased by 11.0% to 24.7 million tonnes, while outward port cargo increased by 3.8% to 16.6 million tonnes.
 
     For the first nine months of 2025, total port cargo throughput decreased by 5.7% to 124.8 million tonnes over a year earlier. Within this total, inward port cargo decreased by 11.2% to 74.4 million tonnes, while outward port cargo increased by 3.8% to 50.4 million tonnes.
 
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, total port cargo throughput decreased by 2.9% in the third quarter of 2025. Within this total, inward port cargo and outward port cargo decreased by 2.8% and 3.0% respectively compared with the preceding quarter. The seasonally adjusted series enables more meaningful shorter-term comparison to be made for discerning possible variations in trends.
 
Port cargo
 
     In the third quarter of 2025, within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 6.7% and 3.7% to 25.5 million tonnes and 15.8 million tonnes respectively over a year earlier.
 
     In the first nine months of 2025, within port cargo, seaborne and river cargo decreased by 5.7% and 5.6% to 77.9 million tonnes and 46.9 million tonnes respectively over a year earlier.
 
     Comparing the third quarter of 2025 with a year earlier, a double-digit increase was recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Thailand (+12.2%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Chile (-49.1%), Korea (-28.0%), Vietnam (-24.4%), Indonesia (-15.3%) and Malaysia (-13.2%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Australia (+53.8%), Malaysia (+21.2%) and Chinese Mainland (+11.7%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Thailand (-49.7%), the United States of America (-48.8%), Japan (-26.1%), Vietnam (-25.3%) and the Philippines (-12.1%).
 
     Comparing the first nine months of 2025 with a year earlier, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo loaded in Vietnam (-26.2%), Korea (-25.4%), Indonesia (-24.0%), Malaysia (-20.8%), Japan (-14.3%), Thailand (-13.0%) and Taiwan (-12.8%). For outward port cargo, double-digit increases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in Australia (+35.7%) and Chinese Mainland (+11.9%). On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in the tonnage of outward port cargo discharged in the United States of America (-41.6%), Thailand (-32.2%), the Philippines (-24.8%), Vietnam (-24.3%) and Japan (-20.3%).
 
     Comparing the third quarter of 2025 with a year earlier, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of “metalliferous ores and metal scrap” (+14.7%), “machinery” (-12.1%), “coal, coke and briquettes” (-13.6%), “artificial resins and plastic materials” (-18.7%) and “stone, sand and gravel” (-27.2%). As for outward port cargo, triple-digit or double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of “stone, sand and gravel” (+100.2%), “artificial resins and plastic materials” (-19.0%) and “pulp and waste paper” (-38.3%).
 
     Comparing the first nine months of 2025 with a year earlier, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of inward port cargo of “metalliferous ores and metal scrap” (+22.4%), “artificial resins and plastic materials” (-17.4%), “coal, coke and briquettes” (-23.3%) and “stone, sand and gravel” (-31.8%). As for outward port cargo, double-digit changes were recorded in the tonnage of “stone, sand and gravel” (+70.5%), “metalliferous ores and metal scrap” (+13.9%), “pulp and waste paper” (-15.5%) and “artificial resins and plastic materials” (-19.4%).
 
Containers
 
     In the third quarter of 2025, the port of Hong Kong handled 3.10 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers, representing a decrease of 9.1% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 8.8% and 10.1% to 2.50 million TEUs and 0.60 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 10.0% and 7.4% to 1.32 million TEUs and 1.18 million TEUs respectively.
 
     For the first nine months of 2025, the port of Hong Kong handled 9.68 million TEUs of containers, representing a decrease of 4.9% over a year earlier. Within this total, laden and empty containers decreased by 5.9% and 0.7% to 7.66 million TEUs and 2.02 million TEUs respectively. Among laden containers, inward and outward containers decreased by 6.7% and 5.0% to 4.08 million TEUs and 3.58 million TEUs respectively.
 
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, laden container throughput decreased by 3.8% in the third quarter of 2025. Within this total, inward and outward laden containers decreased by 3.6% and 4.1% respectively.
 
     In the third quarter of 2025, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 7.5% and 11.8% to 1.76 million TEUs and 0.74 million TEUs respectively over a year earlier.
 
     In the first nine months of 2025, seaborne and river laden containers decreased by 5.3% and 7.4% to 5.40 million TEUs and 2.26 million TEUs respectively over a year earlier.
 
Vessel arrivals
 
     Comparing the third quarter of 2025 with a year earlier, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 6.4% to 4 793, with the total capacity also increasing by 2.1% to 72.7 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 8.0% to 19 060, while the total capacity increased by 8.4% to 23.2 million net tons.
 
     Comparing the first nine months of 2025 with a year earlier, the number of ocean vessel arrivals increased by 4.2% to 14 199, with the total capacity also increasing by 0.9% to 217.4 million net tons. Meanwhile, the number of river vessel arrivals decreased by 4.2% to 58 954, while the total capacity increased by 13.9% to 69.9 million net tons.
 
Further information
 
     Port cargo and laden container statistics are compiled from a sample of consignments listed in the cargo manifests supplied by shipping companies and agents to the C&SD. Vessel statistics are compiled by the Marine Department primarily from general declarations submitted by ship masters and authorised shipping agents. Pleasure vessels and fishing vessels plying exclusively within the river trade limits are excluded.
 
     Table 1 presents the detailed port cargo statistics.
 
     Table 2 and Table 3 respectively present the inward and outward port cargo statistics by main countries/territories of loading and discharge.
 
     Table 4 and Table 5 respectively present the inward and outward port cargo statistics by principal commodities.
 
     Table 6 presents the detailed container statistics.
 
     Table 7 presents the statistics on vessel arrivals in Hong Kong.
 
     More detailed statistics on port cargo, containers and vessels are published in the report “Hong Kong Shipping Statistics, Third Quarter 2025”. Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1020008&scode=230 
     For enquiries about port cargo and container statistics, please contact the Electronic Trading Services and Cargo Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 2126 or email: shipping@censtatd.gov.hkIssued at HKT 16:30

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A dry November

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

A dry November 
     Under the influence of the northeast monsoon, it was dry with sunny intervals on the first two days of the month. With a band of clouds covering southern China, local weather turned cloudy with one or two light rain patches on November 3 and 4. While there were sunny periods on November 5 and 6, gloomy and rainy weather returned on November 7 with a band of clouds covering southern China. As an anticyclone aloft strengthened gradually, the weather turned generally fine during the day on November 8 and remained so in the following two days. With plenty of sunshine, the temperature at the Observatory rose to a maximum of 28.9 degrees on November 9, the highest of the month.
 
     Additionally, the tropical depression to the south of Guam intensified into a tropical storm on the morning of November 6 and was named Fung-wong. Fung-wong continued to move generally northwestwards and intensified progressively into a super typhoon in the following three days. It moved across Luzon on the morning of November 10 and weakened into a typhoon. Fung-wong turned to move northwards over the northeastern part of the South China Sea on November 11 and weakened gradually under the influence of the northeast monsoon. It skirted the southern part of Taiwan the next night and weakened into an area of low pressure with frontal characteristics.
 
     Under the combined effect of Fung-wong and the northeast monsoon, local winds occasionally reached strong force offshore and on high ground on November 10 and 11. The outer rainbands of Fung-wong brought a few light rain patches on November 11. There was also minor flooding over some low-lying areas during the high tide on the night of November 10 and the early morning of November 11. Dominated by a dry northeast monsoon, apart from the cloudier weather with a few rain patches on November 13 and the next morning, the weather in Hong Kong was generally fine and dry from November 12 to 17.
 
     A cold front reached the coast of southern China on the early morning of November 18. Under the influence of the associated intense northeast monsoon, the weather became appreciably cooler and windy during the day and the next day. The temperature at the Observatory dropped to a minimum of 13.2 degrees on the morning of November 19, the lowest of the month. The weather remained very dry in the following three days. The relative humidity over most parts of the territory stayed below 40 per cent on November 20 and 21. With the band of clouds thinning out, cloudy weather on November 19 and 20 turned generally fine during the day on November 21 and remained so in the following three days.
 
     A strong replenishment of the northeast monsoon reached the coast of southern China on November 25. The weather was generally fine and very dry on November 25 and 26. With another replenishment reaching the coastal areas of Guangdong, the weather remained generally fine and very dry on November 27 and the next two days. The relative humidity at the Observatory once fell to 16 per cent on November 27, equalling the lowest on record in November since the establishment of the automatic weather station at the Observatory’s Headquarters in 1984. With a band of clouds covering southern China on the last day of the month, while the weather remained dry locally, it was mainly cloudy with one or two light rain patches at night.
 
     Four tropical cyclones occurred over the South China Sea and the western North Pacific in November 2025.
 
     Details of issuance and cancellation of various warnings/signals in the month are summarised in Table 1. Monthly meteorological figures and departures from normal for November are tabulated in Table 2.
Issued at HKT 16:00

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Speech by SJ at 6th UNCITRAL Asia Pacific Judicial Summit 2025 – Judicial Roundtable (English only)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following are the welcome remarks by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the 6th UNCITRAL Asia Pacific Judicial Summit 2025 – Judicial Roundtable under Hong Kong Legal Week 2025 today (December 2):

Your Excellencies, distinguished judges and guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Today is the second day of the 6th UNCITRAL Asia Pacific Judicial Summit – the Judicial Roundtable, I wish to extend my special thanks to UNCITRAL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) for the organisation of the Roundtable and the Asian Development Bank for the Russian simultaneous interpretation so that judges from the Central Asia and other Russian-speaking jurisdictions would be able to participate in the roundtable discussions.

     The format of “Roundtable” is to facilitate knowledge sharing and open dialogue under an inclusive environment, which would enable participants to actively engage in the discussion. The theme of the Judicial Roundtable today is “Recent Trends in Dispute Resolution”, with two sessions discussing firstly “Judicial Handling of Disputes involving the Use of AI” and second, “Interactions between Alternative Dispute Resolution and Court Proceedings”. Let me share with you some of the recent initiatives in Hong Kong in this respect. 

     Hong Kong has been widely recognised as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre for many years. In the 2025 International Arbitration Survey published by Queen Mary University of London, Hong Kong is ranked the second most preferred seat of arbitration globally, and is the most preferred arbitration seat in the Asia-Pacific region. To further strengthening Hong Kong’s edges in international arbitration, the Department of Justice has newly set up a Working Group on Arbitration Law Reform to review and make recommendation to amend our Arbitration Ordinance. 

     Apart from promotion of arbitration in general, we are promoting arbitration in specialised fields. For instance, it is one of the policy initiatives of the Chief Executive’s Policy Address this year to establish a sports dispute resolution system and to promote sports mediation and arbitration, leveraging the institutional advantages of Hong Kong in dispute resolution. The Department of Justice established the Advisory Committee on Sports Dispute Resolution, and would launch a pilot scheme on sports dispute resolution for two years, providing a dedicated mechanism for resolving sports disputes through mediation and dispute resolution.

     When it comes to international mediation, the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) provides a platform for settlement of international disputes, which includes disputes between a government and foreign nationals and also international commercial disputes through mediation. With its headquarter situated in Hong Kong, I am sure the establishment of IOMed will not only promote dispute resolution through mediation and other means, but also create synergies with other international organisations, non-governmental organisations and academic institutions, which will further consolidate Hong Kong’s status as an international legal and dispute resolution services centre.

     Lasty, I would like to mention the use of technology and artificial intelligence in Hong Kong. There is currently no bespoke legislation governing AI in Hong Kong. To harness the potential benefits this new technology may bring, it is incumbent upon the Hong Kong Government to take the lead to review the relevant law so as to provide a facilitative yet properly controlled legal environment for AI’s development. As mentioned in this year’s Chief Executive’s Policy Address, the Department of Justice will form an interdepartmental working group to co-ordinate the responsible bureaux to review the legislation needed to complement the wider application of artificial intelligence. 

     On this front, we are also promoting the use of lawtech in the Hong Kong legal and dispute resolution industry. Since the establishment of the Consultation Group on LawTech Development early this year, we progressively promote technology in the legal industry by adopting a three-stage approach, with the aim of enhancing the efficiency and quality of professional services through technology. These three stages include first, raising awareness of the legal profession and lawtech education for law students; second, engaging the legal profession with lawtech products through exhibitions and market surveys to enable firms to find suitable solutions for their business growth; and thirdly, encouraging the local and international lawtech enterprises to establish a presence in Hong Kong, in order to foster a vibrant lawtech ecosystem. We will also periodically review the legal framework to ensure it supports and regulates new legal technologies effectively.

     To conclude, I would like to thank the moderators, speakers of today’s Judicial Roundtable, and all the participants, as well as UNCITRAL for their collaboration with the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy. The Academy was launched last year which is dedicated to conduct capacity building programmes in diverse areas of law for different stakeholders in the region and beyond. This Judicial Summit co-organised by UNCITRAL and the Academy has become a key platform for capacity building for judges coming from different parts of the world.

     On this note, I wish you all a very fruitful and enlightening roundtable discussion. For those who are leaving Hong Kong after the Roundtable, I wish you a safe journey home. For those joining us online, I am very keen on seeing you joining us in person in Hong Kong at the next UNCITRAL Asia Pacific Judicial Summit in 2027. Thank you very much.

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CHP investigates imported case of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health announced today (December 2) that it is investigating an imported case of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection and reminded members of the public to maintain good personal, food and environmental hygiene to prevent intestinal infections.

     The case involves a 14-year-old boy with good past health who developed diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort on November 16. He sought medical attention at a private doctor on November 18 and did not require hospitalisation. He has now recovered. His stool sample tested positive for STEC.

     A preliminary investigation by the CHP revealed that the patient participated in a school trip to Bali, Indonesia, between November 10 and 15 (within the incubation period). According to available information, the remaining 33 students and teachers who participated in the school trip and the patient’s home contacts are asymptomatic so far. The CHP is following up on their health conditions and will continue to investigate the case.

     Over the past five years (2020 to 2024), the CHP recorded one to six cases of STEC infection annually. Including the case announced above, three cases of STEC infection have been recorded so far this year. No significant upward trend or unusual cluster cases have been identified.

     Generally, STEC infections are usually associated with the consumption of contaminated food or water, such as raw or undercooked meat products, contaminated fruits and vegetables, and unpasteurised dairy products. Direct person-to-person transmission through the faecal-oral route can also occur. Waterborne transmission has been reported, both from contaminated drinking water and from recreational waters. The public are advised to observe good personal and food hygiene.

     Members of the public may refer to the CHP’s webpage for more information about STEC.

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MOFA strongly refutes false claims regarding Taiwan’s sovereignty by Colombia’s Foreign Ministry

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

MOFA strongly refutes false claims regarding Taiwan’s sovereignty by Colombia’s Foreign Ministry

Date：2025-11-27
Data Source：Department of Latin American and Caribbean Affairs

November 27, 2025  
No. 503  
 
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia on November 26 issued a statement repudiating the potential establishment of a Colombian office in Taiwan and presenting an incorrect narrative that made false claims about Taiwan’s sovereign status. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) strongly protests the statement.
 
MOFA reiterates that the ROC (Taiwan) is a sovereign, independent nation; that neither the ROC (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other; and that the PRC has never governed Taiwan. These are objective facts widely recognized by the international community, as well as the cross-strait status quo. The Colombian government’s disregard for the right and desire of the Taiwanese people to pursue freedom and democracy contradicts Colombia’s long-standing position of urging the international community to respect other nations’ right to self-determination. MOFA calls on the government of Colombia to uphold the principles of diplomatic autonomy and national dignity and to refrain from echoing false claims propagated by the authoritarian Chinese government.
 
Regarding the Colombian government using the inappropriate “one China principle” as a pretext for its self-imposed restriction on the opening of an office in Taiwan, MOFA reminds Colombia that it previously opened a commercial office in Taiwan in 1995, which was closed in 2002 due to financial difficulties faced by its own government. This fact demonstrates that opening an office in Taiwan would not contravene Colombia’s long-standing diplomatic policy. As Taiwan is the world’s 21st-largest economy, the reopening of a Colombian office in Taiwan would help Colombian businesses build a stronger presence in the Taiwan market and allow them to leverage the operational networks of Taiwanese companies in Asia so as to facilitate their regional expansion. This would be mutually beneficial, especially for Colombia. 
 
MOFA urges the Colombian government to heed the voices of its people as conveyed by the Colombian lawmakers and to give pragmatic consideration to the establishment of an office in Taiwan so as to strengthen bilateral economic and trade exchanges. This action would best support the well-being of its people. (E)

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Foreign Minister Lin hosts dinner to welcome delegation led by foreign affairs committee chairs of Colombian Congress

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

November 26, 2025  
No. 500  
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung hosted a dinner on November 25 to welcome a delegation led by Óscar Mauricio Giraldo Hernández and Álvaro Mauricio Londoño Lugo, chairs of the foreign affairs committees of the Colombian Senate and Chamber of Representatives, respectively. Minister Lin extended cordial greetings on behalf of the government of Taiwan and thanked the two chairs for their long-term support for Taiwan’s international participation and for promoting bilateral exchanges between Taiwan and Colombia.
 
Welcoming the chairs and their spouses on their first visit to Taiwan, Minister Lin pointed out that Colombia was an important trading partner for Taiwan in Latin America. Noting that the two nations shared such universal values as democracy, freedom, and the rule of law, he remarked that there was great potential for cooperation in areas including green energy, smart agriculture, and digital innovation.
 
Minister Lin added that in recent years, mutual exchanges through performances by artists and orchestras had drawn the peoples of the two nations closer. He said he hoped that through this trip to Taiwan, the delegation would become better acquainted with current developments in Taiwan in a range of areas and explore further opportunities for deepening collaboration.
 
Mr. Giraldo said that through this visit, he was delighted to understand the progress of Taiwan’s semiconductor, AI, and smart health care sectors and to witness how the people of Taiwan created opportunities through knowledge. He said that he would continue to promote more exchanges and cooperation between the two countries going forward.
 
Mr. Londoño praised the resilience of the Taiwanese people, as well as their impressive achievements in technology and public health, exchanging in-depth opinions with other guests on the successful operation of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance system.
 
Both chairs said that Taiwan and Colombia should develop a closer cooperative relationship. They emphasized that they would use their positions in the Colombian Congress to promote the establishment of a Colombian office in Taiwan, as well as the strengthening of bilateral trade, business, people-to-people, and cultural exchanges.
 
The Colombian congressional delegation is visiting Taiwan from November 24 to 28. In addition to calling at the Legislative Yuan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Cooperation and Development Fund, and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, the group’s itinerary also includes visits to the Garden of Hope Foundation and Yuanxian Smart Farm, which will continue to drive an increase in cooperation and exchanges. (E)

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Foreign Minister Lin meets with Paraguayan delegation led by Vice Foreign Minister Verdún

Source: Republic of China Taiwan

November 24, 2025  
No. 491  
 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung met with a delegation from Paraguay led by Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Víctor Alfredo Verdún Bitar on the morning of November 24. Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Baushuan Ger hosted a luncheon for the group, extending a warm welcome to the visitors on behalf of the government of Taiwan. The delegation included Director General of Bilateral Policy Raúl Mariano Martínez Villalba and Director General of Press Advisory Services Osmar Gómez Román.
 
In his remarks, Minister Lin welcomed Vice Minister Verdún, who was leading a delegation on his first visit to Taiwan. Speaking on behalf of the people and government of Taiwan, Minister Lin again thanked Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and the government of Paraguay for making over 50 statements in public and at international events supporting bilateral diplomatic relations and backing Taiwan’s participation in international organizations. 
 
Minister Lin pointed out that President Lai Ching-te attached great importance to the results of cooperation between Taiwan and Paraguay. He added that President Lai had instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to continue working with the government of Paraguay under the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project to jointly promote partnership programs in such areas as smart health care, new energy, carbon credit cooperation, and smart new agriculture, as well as to expand economic and trade investment and collaboration. Minister Lin said that this would make the Taiwan-Paraguay relationship a model of international cooperation and exchanges. 
 
In response, Vice Minister Verdún thanked Taiwan for its long-standing assistance in technological advancement, talent development, public health, medical care, and other spheres. Emphasizing President Peña’s staunch support for Taiwan-Paraguay diplomatic ties, he added that both countries shared the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights, which should not be sacrificed for economic and trade interests. Vice Minister Verdún said that Paraguay wanted to demonstrate to the world that standing with Taiwan was the right choice and that Paraguay would continue to join other like-minded nations in backing Taiwan’s participation in the international community.
 
Speaking at the luncheon that he hosted on behalf of Minister Lin, Vice Minister Ger noted that Paraguay offered an attractive investment environment and had the advantage of being a gateway to access the regional market. He said that the government of Taiwan was developing appropriate policies to encourage companies to invest in Paraguay. Vice Minister Ger expressed hope that, based on the existing solid foundations of cooperation, the two sides would further develop economic and trade opportunities to benefit the businesses and people of both countries. 
 
During his remarks, Vice Minister Verdún applauded the results of bilateral collaboration and exchanges across all fields and commended the memorandum of understanding on carbon credit cooperation, signed by the two nations in October, as a forward-looking and strategic document. He added that he was pleased by the popularity of Paraguayan beef and pork in the Taiwanese market. Vice Minister Verdún reiterated Paraguay’s firm support for Taiwan’s international participation and exchanged views with other guests on an extensive range of issues, including economics, trade, agriculture, medical care, and technology.
 
Over the 68 years that Taiwan and Paraguay have been diplomatic allies, they have engaged in broad-ranging cooperation across areas including talent development, public health, medical care, agricultural technology, and technological advancement. The outcomes of collaboration are widely recognized and appreciated by the Paraguayan people and government. Paraguay has long endorsed Taiwan’s participation in international organizations, and President Peña has strongly spoken up for Taiwan at the United Nations General Assembly for several years running, demonstrating the rock-solid, mutually beneficial, and reciprocal partnership between the two countries. (E)

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Police hotlines open for fire probe

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Police today announced that 10 hotlines have been set up in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. Members of the public with relevant video footage or photos are urged to contact officers through the hotlines to assist in the police investigation.

The hotline numbers are: 5337 6671, 5337 6672, 5337 6673, 5337 6674, 5337 6675, 5337 6676, 5337 6677, 5337 6679, 5337 6680 and 5337 6681.

The 10 hotlines operate from 8am to 8pm daily with immediate effect and are solely for the collection of video footage or photos related to the fire.

Call 1878 999 for enquiries about fire casualties.